HomeMy WebLinkAbout2013-06-12 Minutes Appendix 1
CLARINGTON MUSEUMS AND ARCHIVES
BOARD MEETING
MINUTES
June 12, 2013
Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre
62 Temperance Street, Bowmanville, Ontario
Present: J. Witheridge, Chair
M. Morawetz
S. Laing
M. Carlton
M. Speelman Viney
G. Humes
C. Morgan
J. Neal
B. Seto
Regrets: Mayor A. Foster
J. Cashin-Oster
Staff: J. Fielding, Executive Director
N. Ellis Recording Secretary
1. Call to Order:
The meeting was called to order by the Chair at 6:54 p.m.
2. Adoption of Agenda:
Moved by: Chair Seconded by: M. Speelman Viney
THAT the agenda be approved.
MOTION CARRIED
3. Announcements
a) J. Fielding announces that the "Living Wall" is complete at Clarke Museum. It
will be celebrated on June 14th from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Clarke Museum. MPP
Erin O'Toole will be in attendance, along with the Orono Pathfinders, Orono
Horticultural Society and the "Living Wall" company.
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b) Applefun Puppetry will be at the Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre on June
15t for a puppet show starting at noon. M. Morawetz asked about marketing. A
small discussion follows regarding Canada Day and the levels of government that
should be involved. Cutting of the cake will be held at 1 p.m. on July 1st and all
levels of government are invited.
c) Chair announces that help is needed from the board for Canada Day. He is
looking for members to help with gathering donations, work at the barbecue, give
out horse and carriage ride tickets, work at the cotton candy and Sno Cone
stations— and possibly silent auction donations. M. Morawetz and B. Seto
volunteer to get food donations. All members agree to pick up Canada Day
posters at the museum on June 17th and have them out by June 20. All members
decide there will be no silent auction. J. Neal volunteers to barbecue. M.
Speelman Viney said she will serve food at the barbecue. S. Laing and M.
Morawetz announce they will be away the day of the event. B. Seto also mentions
she would like to serve food on Canada Day, if she is available. Security for
Bowmanville Museum is added to the Chair's list of Canada Day event duties.
4. Approval of May 15, 2013 Board Meeting Minutes
Moved by: C. Morgan Seconded by: M. Carlton
MOTION CARRIED
5. Executive Director's Report:
The Executive Director discusses the progress through the four categories from her last
report: Financial, Visitors, Collections and Organizational Capacity.
Financial: The Executive Director explained she tried to get a charity number but the
museum doesn't qualify, because the board is appointed by the city of Clarington. To get
a charity number you need an elected board. She explains that it would be too much to
ask the city to change to the rules to get a charity number. The Executive Director agrees
to ask Ontario Power Generation (OPG)to become an annual sponsor.
Visitors: Membership Month(May) went well. There are currently 54 members and two
lifetime members. 16 members attended the membership event. Business memberships
can lead to more members in the future. Bowmanville Museum is now open Wednesdays
to Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the museum open the Executive Director said
there has been at a couple of visitors each day.
Collections: Project plans outline and strategy will be done by September. The de-
accessioning and re-assessment is going well. Archivist Charles Taws has finished the
de-accession report (the board will receive an email report). A Dominion Organ is
available for the museum as a donation, it is the same model already in the collection but
is in better condition. The museum must get rid of the original organ in order to have
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room for the new organ. The new Children at Play exhibit is going well. The new
watering system has been installed at Clarke and the "Living Wall" looks good.
Organizational Capacity: The Museum has hired three summer students. J. Fielding and
C. Taws have received their H& S training. WSDS sheets will be given to the summer
students.
THAT the Executive Director's report be accepted.
Moved by: M. Speelman Viney Seconded by: B. Seto
MOTION CARRIED
6. Correspondence
J. Fielding explains the museum has been awarded $15,000 from the Museum Assistance
Programme. S. Laing suggest it's possible this is due to extra funding from the
government because the museum has hosted numerous travelling exhibits. Children at
Play had been allocated a high expense cost but this has been reduced as the exhibition
cost less than budgeted. Museum staff made good use of what they had available on hand
to create the Children at Play exhibit. Membership is going well. To explain the gap in
exhibit curator post staffing expenses Penny Bateman will replace Ann-Marie until July
and will return in November and December to help create the January exhibition.
Through August to October, there will be no exhibit curator, possibly use a part-time
employee.
A group of people will be filming a movie about the war of 1812 at the Bowmanville
Museum Saturday and Sunday nights. C. Taws will be there to oversee the filming.
Moved by: M. Morawetz Seconded by: C. Morgan
MOTION CARRIED
7. Business Arising:
a) Living Wall Dedication (J. Witheridge)
Motion by Chair to dedicate the new "Living Wall" at Clarke Museum to former
Executive Director Martha Rutherford Conrad; naming it"The Martha Rutherford
Conrad Wall." It is agreed that the board with follow through with this if M.
Rutherford Conrad grants permission.
Moved by: M. Morawetz Seconded by: S. Laing
MOTION CARRIED
8. Reports:
a) Task Force Reports
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Membership (B. Seto):
The museum currently has 54 members, two of them being lifetime members. The
membership program has generated about $2,500 in revenue.
Moved by: C. Morgan Seconded by: M. Carlton
MOTION CARRIED
Vision Statement (J. Witheridge):
The new vision statement is "to be the heritage hub of Clarington."
Moved by: C. Morgan Seconded by: M. Carlton
MOTION CARRIED
Fundraising Committee (J. Neal):
The second annual Heritage Harvest will be held on September, 28th 2013 at the Tooley
Mill location in Courtice. J. Neal inquires about OPG sponsoring the event and board
member attendance. B. Seto inquires about staffing the event. J. Fielding would like to
have supporting staff at the event rather than have museum staff run the event. Marketing
is encouraged; this event should work well with membership marketing too. The Chair
requests a Heritage Harvest worksheet from J. Neal. J. Neal hopes to have a follow-up
meeting next week. He would like to see responsibilities assigned before board members
take summer holidays.
Moved by: J. Neal Seconded by: M. Speelman Viney
MOTION CARRIED
9. New Business:
Request for a New Motion
We ask for a written explanation from the former executive director about the lost
government money And that Julia checks with the ministry for a summary of phone logs
and correspondence that they had with the museum, in their possession."
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Moved by: J. Neal Seconded by: M. Speelman Viney
MOTION to discuss CARRIED
RE: The issue concerning the $25,000 provincial museum grant application that was
considered too late to be accepted for approval.
J. Neal suggests the board asks for a written explanation from the former Executive
Director M. Rutherford Conrad concerning this issue. Then he suggests that phone logs
and correspondence with the museum be located by J. Fielding and the ministry, and then
be double checked that antiquate notice of the application deadline was given.
A discussion ensues about the issue with contacting the former Executive Director and
further miscommunications.
MOTION DEFEATED
New Motion:
Moved by: M. Speelman Viney Seconded by: M. Morawetz
MOTION CARRIED
M. Speelman Viney suggests Executive Director J. Fielding look into the phone logs and
correspondence first and if the board members cannot piece together the story then
contact M. Rutherford Conrad.
MOTION CARRIED
Additional News (business):
M. Morawetz mentioned St. Mary's Cement is celebrating 45 years on June 15th with a
large event involving rock climbing, a balloon artist, an open house and activities for
kids.
J. Fielding is looking into a catering company to host the teas on the museum veranda.
She is looking into Tea Granny, The Toasted Walnut and Sinful Treats. Currently J.
Fielding would like to go with The Toasted Walnut. The Toasted Walnut staff would
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dress in costume, serve tea, coffee and scones and clean up. They would take the earnings
and the museum would receive 10 per cent of daily takings. She would also like to buy
some treat trays from Sinful Treats.
A fourth sink needs to be installed in the Bowmanville Museum to host food services.
This is in the plan and will be completed before the teas on the veranda begin this
summer.
10. Date and Place of Next Board Meeting:
The Chair will hold a meeting of the Executive the week of July 15th, 2013. The next
meeting of the Board of Directors of the Clarington Museums and Archives will be in
September 11th 2013 at the Sarah Jane Williams Heritage Centre at 7 p.m.
11. Adjournment:
THAT the meeting adjourn at 8:32 p.m.
Moved by: J. Neal Seconded by: M. Speelman Viney
MOTION CARRIED
Minutes for the June 12, 2013 meeting of the Clarington Museums and Archives Board have
been accepted and approved on
Chair, Executive Director,
Clarington Museums and Archives Board Clarington Museums and Archives